Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Foundry Mold and Coremakers
Occupation · SOC 51-4071.00
Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.
Also called: Core Machine Operator · Core Maker · Coremaker · Molder · Core Stripper · Green Sand Molder · Mold Maker · Mold Operator · No Bake Molder · Sand Molder · Airset Caster · Airset Molder
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-4071-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-25.9% by 2034)
- 900 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $45,700/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (56th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (0th)
0th-percentile task overlap — yet about 900 openings a year (-25.9% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 3rd | -1.7 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 3rd | 0.0 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 0th | 0.0 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.0). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.7 · 56th percentile among occupations · Moderate
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -25.9% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 900 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 12,700 → 9,400 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Foundry Mold and Coremakers sits at the 12th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
13% mean task exposure (2025)
12th percentile of 427 placed occupations
+3 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Moulders and Coremakers · 7211 | 13% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 13 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections. Core · importance 4.7
- Position cores into lower sections of molds, and reassemble molds for pouring. Supplemental · importance 4.6
- Position patterns inside mold sections, and clamp sections together. Supplemental · importance 4.6
- Sift and pack sand into mold sections, core boxes, and pattern contours, using hand or pneumatic ramming tools. Core · importance 4.6
- Tend machines that bond cope and drag together to form completed shell molds. Supplemental · importance 4.6
- Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds. Core · importance 4.5
- Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue. Core · importance 4.5
- Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces. Core · importance 4.4
- Rotate sweep boards around spindles to make symmetrical molds for convex impressions. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Pour molten metal into molds, manually or with crane ladles. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Operate ovens or furnaces to bake cores or to melt, skim, and flux metal. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Lift upper mold sections from lower sections, and remove molded patterns. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Cut spouts, runner holes, and sprue holes into molds. Supplemental · importance 4.3
Work activities
- Clean production equipment.
- Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
- Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
- Signal others to coordinate work activities.
- Apply parting agents or other solutions to molds.
- Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces.
- Place materials into molds.
- Build production molds.
- Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
- Remove workpieces from molds.
- Operate heating or drying equipment.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Abilities
| Trunk Strength | 3.8 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.6 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.5 | |
| Static Strength | 3.5 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.4 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.3 | |
| Near Vision | 3.3 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.1 | |
| Reaction Time | 3.1 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.0 | |
| Visualization | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 | |
| Control Precision | 3.0 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 2.9 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.9 | |
| Category Flexibility | 2.9 | |
| Rate Control | 2.9 | |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.9 | |
| Stamina | 2.9 | |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.9 | |
| Far Vision | 2.9 |
Knowledge
| English Language | 3.4 | |
| Mechanical | 3.4 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.3 | |
| Education and Training | 3.3 | |
| Administration and Management | 3.2 | |
| Physics | 3.1 | |
| Design | 3.1 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.0 | |
| Chemistry | 3.0 | |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.0 | |
| Building and Construction | 2.8 | |
| Administrative | 2.8 |
Essential skills
| Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 2.9 | |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
Transferable skills
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Precision Production . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 64.4% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 35.6% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 6.8 | |
| Conventional | 3.5 | |
| Investigative | 2.3 | |
| Artistic | 2.1 |
Interest areas
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 2.2 | |
| Dependability | 2.1 | |
| Cautiousness | 1.5 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $36,220 |
| 25th percentile | $39,370 |
| Median (50th) | $45,700 |
| 75th percentile | $51,360 |
| 90th percentile | $61,390 |
| People employed | 12,720 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 12,460 | $45,760 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 200 | $36,060 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 150 | $36,960 |
| Machine Shops · National industry | — | $46,540 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing · Sector | 11.83× | 12,460 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 0.69× | 150 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 0.27× | 200 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · 51-9195.00 Compare →
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4072.00 Compare →
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators · 51-2051.00 Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand · 51-9022.00 Compare →
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons · 49-9045.00 Compare →
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9041.00 Compare →
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing · 51-7042.00 Compare →
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers · 51-6091.00 Compare →
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9032.00 Compare →
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · 51-4022.00 Compare →
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand · 51-9031.00 Compare →
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners · 51-4194.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Foundry Mold and Coremakers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Compare →
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Compare →
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Precision Production · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 12th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Foundry Mold and Coremakers show 0th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers rank in the 0th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-25.9%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $45,700, across about 12,720 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Foundry Mold and Coremakers show 0th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings • Foundry Mold and Coremakers rank in the 0th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-25.9%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $45,700, across about 12,720 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Foundry Mold and Coremakers". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Foundry Mold and Coremakers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Foundry Mold and Coremakers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-4071-00,
title = {Foundry Mold and Coremakers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-4071-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.